Defining and Avoiding Defining and Avoiding Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty

Maintain Your Integrity Maintain Your Integrity

Consequences of Academic Consequences of Academic DishonestyDishonesty Per our class syllabus, any act of Per our class syllabus, any act of

academic dishonesty may result in a academic dishonesty may result in a 0 (zero) on the assignment without 0 (zero) on the assignment without the ability to rewrite and a referral to the ability to rewrite and a referral to your dean. your dean.

The school’s standard policy is two-The school’s standard policy is two-days of in-school suspension and a days of in-school suspension and a note on your permanent record.note on your permanent record.

Real World Consequences of Real World Consequences of Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty

““Jane Goodall Caught in Jane Goodall Caught in Plagiarism Scandall: Plagiarism Scandall: Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall, the groundbreaking primatologist and wildlife-documentary groundbreaking primatologist and wildlife-documentary superstar, is the latest high-profile author caught in a plagiarism superstar, is the latest high-profile author caught in a plagiarism scandal -- and this one is really embarrassing, reports Steve scandal -- and this one is really embarrassing, reports Steve

Levingston.”Levingston.” – – Washington Post, Washington Post, March 2013March 2013

““Jonah Lehrer reflects: Jonah Lehrer reflects: ‘Whatever I do next will be ‘Whatever I do next will be shadowed by what I've done’:shadowed by what I've done’:The The disgraced author avows his need for new rules to prevent disgraced author avows his need for new rules to prevent him from repeating all his bad practices.” – him from repeating all his bad practices.” – Washington Washington Post, Post, Feb. 2013 Feb. 2013

Real World Consequences of Real World Consequences of Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty

““Students expelled from U.Va. Students expelled from U.Va. shipboard program for shipboard program for plagiarism” – plagiarism” – The Hampton The Hampton Roads PilotRoads Pilot, Aug. 2008., Aug. 2008.

““Report: UNC receiver Erik Report: UNC receiver Erik Highsmith plagiarized 11-year-Highsmith plagiarized 11-year-olds: olds: The University of North Carolina’s football team is The University of North Carolina’s football team is

currently playing under a one-year bowl ban imposed by the currently playing under a one-year bowl ban imposed by the NCAA for rules violations committed under former coach Butch NCAA for rules violations committed under former coach Butch Davis.” – Davis.” – The Washington PostThe Washington Post, Oct. 2012., Oct. 2012.

What is Academic What is Academic Dishonesty?Dishonesty?

Broadly, it is when you mislead, Broadly, it is when you mislead, intentionally or unintentionally, intentionally or unintentionally, your audience about the your audience about the sources of ideas in your work.sources of ideas in your work.

You are probably most familiar You are probably most familiar with the term with the term PlagiarismPlagiarism, which , which generally means using someone generally means using someone else’s ideas as your own.else’s ideas as your own.

Plagiarism Includes . . .Plagiarism Includes . . .

Copying a friends work, or Copying a friends work, or lending your work to a friend lending your work to a friend (even if you don’t intend for (even if you don’t intend for them to copy it, but just to “look them to copy it, but just to “look it over”), and they copy it; you it over”), and they copy it; you are both guilty of academic are both guilty of academic dishonesty.dishonesty.

Plagiarism Includes . . .Plagiarism Includes . . .

Using someone else’s ideas or Using someone else’s ideas or words as your own.words as your own.

This could be a quote or This could be a quote or paraphrase that is not cited.paraphrase that is not cited.

Plagiarism Includes . . .Plagiarism Includes . . .

This could also be citing someone This could also be citing someone else’s language, but not putting else’s language, but not putting quote marks around it.quote marks around it. Obama, who has recently spoken against outsourcing Obama, who has recently spoken against outsourcing

of American jobs to countries like India and offered of American jobs to countries like India and offered tax breaks for those creating jobs in the US, was tax breaks for those creating jobs in the US, was asked whether he “would address concerns in India asked whether he “would address concerns in India where this is seen as a restrictive policy” ( “I have to where this is seen as a restrictive policy” ( “I have to protect American jobs: Obama on outsourcing”). protect American jobs: Obama on outsourcing”).

--This is plagiarism, because the parts outside of the --This is plagiarism, because the parts outside of the quotes are not the students’ original language either, quotes are not the students’ original language either, but the student is acting like it is.but the student is acting like it is.

Academic Dishonesty Academic Dishonesty Includes . . .Includes . . . The traditional definition of The traditional definition of plagiarismplagiarism is is

part of the larger issue of academic part of the larger issue of academic honesty. Regardless of the name given to honesty. Regardless of the name given to the offense, the consequences remain the the offense, the consequences remain the same.same.

Academic Dishonesty includes . . .Academic Dishonesty includes . . . Absent or incorrect in-text citations and/or Absent or incorrect in-text citations and/or

works cited page.works cited page. Providing information gathered from one Providing information gathered from one

source, citing it, but indicating in the source, citing it, but indicating in the citation that it comes from a different citation that it comes from a different source other than where you found it.source other than where you found it.

Common Excuses for Common Excuses for Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty I didn’t understand the assignment or text.I didn’t understand the assignment or text.

It is your responsibility to seek help and turn in the It is your responsibility to seek help and turn in the best you can do.best you can do.

I didn’t have enough time.I didn’t have enough time. It is your responsibility to address this with the teacher It is your responsibility to address this with the teacher

ahead of time and do the best you can do.ahead of time and do the best you can do. I wasn’t confident in my ability.I wasn’t confident in my ability.

I would much rather hear/read your own unique I would much rather hear/read your own unique language and ideas with whatever faults they might language and ideas with whatever faults they might have than to have the unoriginal ideas of someone have than to have the unoriginal ideas of someone else.else.

You thought it first, but someone else said it better.You thought it first, but someone else said it better. You thought the assignment was boring.You thought the assignment was boring.

That still doesn’t mean you had to commit academic That still doesn’t mean you had to commit academic dishonesty. Sometimes we have to do things we dishonesty. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t completely enjoy. don’t completely enjoy.

Common Excuses for Common Excuses for Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty I didn’t know she/he was going to copy. I I didn’t know she/he was going to copy. I

was just trying to give ideas.was just trying to give ideas. Don’t take the chance.Don’t take the chance.

I didn’t know we needed a works cited I didn’t know we needed a works cited page/in-text citations.page/in-text citations. You need them any time you use someone You need them any time you use someone

else’s ideas and words, whether the teacher else’s ideas and words, whether the teacher asks for it or not.asks for it or not.

I don’t care if I get caught. . . I don’t care if I get caught. . . See real life consequences!See real life consequences!

These are all just excuses, and folks don’t These are all just excuses, and folks don’t much care about excuses in the real world, much care about excuses in the real world, because the end result is the same!because the end result is the same!

Please ConsiderPlease Consider

A 75% or even lower for weak work A 75% or even lower for weak work with the ability to rewrite is much with the ability to rewrite is much better than a zero without the ability better than a zero without the ability to rewrite.to rewrite.

How do you want others to see you?How do you want others to see you? Who will you have write a letter of Who will you have write a letter of

recommendation for you? Many recommendation for you? Many colleges and other programs (The colleges and other programs (The Air Force Academy in CO, for Air Force Academy in CO, for example) require a recommendation example) require a recommendation fromfrom an English teacheran English teacher..